What makes you think that it won't grow back in a day or two?
Husbands in winter, they know the truth
But what can they do?
Don't like girls the way they are
So shave their legs and make them look like movie stars
Then we can pretend that it's natural
Put on whatever makes you attractive
If it's not you then do it for the sake of fashion
Your friends like a certain you
That's who you've got to be
Junior high legs
Blond hair gone black from removing it
Waxing since thirteen, wisdom from a beauty queen
Her tiara digging deep in her head
Put on whatever makes you attractive
If it's not you then do it for the sake of fashion
Your friends like a certain you
That's who you've got to be
That's who you've got to be
I'm starting to think that I'm kind of shy
Or at least I'd like to be
Winter rays give me heart attacks
So take it off and make it so it never comes back
Then we can pretend that it's natural

32 Comments

General CommentI'm going with smithskid84 on this, I don't really believe this song is supposed to be poking fun at anything, it seems, like alot of his songs to be darker, I've never understood how people take biting sarcasm for humor or in his case, an uplifting christian method, I'm not entirely sure that he's not questioning it from the outside of it. I guess I picked this song to hash this out. I think alot of people are taking this as cautious warning instead of outright criticism. I could be wrong, but I don't hear it.

General CommentI got the feeling that David wasn't necessarily "poking fun" at the people who succumb to the pressure of beauty, but pointing out the blatant and constant messages to women especially, but men as well, that you are not attractive if you do not fit into this box. It is a societal expectation to care about how you look and do something about it, so the criticism doesn't seem to be so much aimed at those who shave, etc. but the perpetuation of self-hatred and standards of beauty which everyone is supposed to believe. It's hard to break out of the trap of superficiality.

My InterpretationI think this song is not critical of women who remove their hair, but guys who expect women to look a certain way without wanting to acknowledge the effort involved. There are guys who would never date a woman who isn't conventionally beautiful, but then make fun of women for spending too much time in the bathroom; they say they like a "natural look" when what they actually like is natural-looking makeup. There's nothing wrong with being attracted to feminine women, but it's pretty ridiculous if you then get mad at them for being feminine.

"What makes you think that it won't grow back in a day or two?" = Men who are used to women with shaved legs barely think about the fact that it's something that has to be attended to every few days. They may not even realize how hairy women can be when they don't shave.

"Husbands in winter, they know the truth" = Husbands know that when no one's looking at them, their wives just want to chill out and not worry about shaving. "But what can they do?" = you could interpret this as the husbands wanting to defend their wives against beauty standards, or wanting to warn other men about how gross and hairy women are in the winter. I would lean toward the second interpretation because of the context.

"I don't like girls the way they are, so shave their legs and make them look like movie stars, then we can pretend it's natural" = shows the unfairness of what the speaker expects. He wants a fake version of women, but doesn't want to admit it.

The second verse is about how when girls are in junior high, their leg hair has already started growing back darker and thicker from shaving. Darker/thicker hair is associated with being older so it's like they've had to lose their innocence at a young age. The beauty queen wears her tiara even though it's painful.

"I'm starting to think that I'm kind of shy or at least I'd like to be" = The guy tries to hide his attitude toward women by presenting himself as sweet and sensitive, like a Nice Guy.

"Winter legs give me heart attacks" = He doesn't just find hairy legs unattractive, he's actually frightened of them--trying to make himself seem like a victim whose needs should be taken care of, not a bossy guy dictating what women should look like.

"Take it off with laser so it never comes back, then we can pretend it's natural" = Since women shaving and waxing their legs isn't enough for him (he still has to think about the fact that they're putting effort into the way they look), he now demands that they have laser hair removal so he never has to think about leg hair again.

(The chorus and title of the song are more broadly about faking, although "when they really get to know you they will run" makes me think of the husband who's horrified by his wife's winter legs.)

It's a great song; the identity of the speaker is unclear, but I prefer to think it's David Bazan realizing that some of his preferences are unfair and exaggerating them to criticize himself.

General CommentThis song kills the game. Guys can really be stupid fuck pigs when it comes to expectations or standards for what makes women attractive. I've dated a few women that didn't take shaving their legs too seriously and I didn't give a shit, it didn't make them less attractive in my eyes. I've always thought there was sort of a fuck the world and what you think defiance to it that's kinda cool. As long as they don't have a moustache, I could care less. They take enough shit from us, I'm not gonna pile on because of a little leg hair. But I try to be a man of taste and decency so maybe that's just me, haha.

@Mad Dog 2020 if only everyone was as open minded as you. Europe is cool with it ha. Furthermore sometimes people are wrapped up in other things and grooming is the last priority. Every woman wants to feel pretty but sometimes they don't care.

@oasisness Thank you kindly, that's nice of you to say. I'll say I learned long ago that being aware of and sensitive to the issues that other people face wouldn't keep me from being a tough minded individual as well. To the contrary, I think it takes toughness to be a compassionate person in the world today.